Jesus said, “Whom do men say that I am?”
And his disciples answered and said, “Some say you
are John the Baptist returned from the dead; others say Elias or other of the
old prophets.”
And Jesus answered and said, “But whom do you say
that I am?”
Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Logos[2],
existing in the Father as His rationality and then, by an act of His will,
being generated, in consideration of the various functions by which God is
related to his creation, but only on the fact that Scripture speaks of a
Father, and a Son, and a Holy Spirit, each member of the Trinity being coequal
with every other member, and each acting inseparably with and interpenetrating
every other member, with only an economic subordination within God, but causing
no division which would make the substance no longer simple."
And Jesus answering, saith, "Say what?"[3]
Memorial Day
Tomorrow is Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember
those members of our Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice, without
whose sacrifice we would not be free.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living
and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down
their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the
light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be
perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
Memorial Day is one of the
saddest days of our year. Not
because of the cost, though the cost is huge. The reason the day so sad is that the people have absolutely
no feeling for the cost of the freedom they value so little today.
Our country is free today because
when our freedom has been threatened by those who would overturn our way of
life, patriots stepped forward to take action against our country’s foes. They put their lives on the line that we
might be free. Tomorrow on
Memorial Day, we remember those whose lives were given, whose families paid the
price for our freedom today. They
did not give their lives for anything but freedom. If you ascribe their motives to other motives, you do so at
your own peril.
Hundreds of thousands have given
their future for ours. Charge your
glass, raise it high. Drink to
them. Give thanks to God for their
patriotism and steadfast courage.
A final note to each of you
veterans reading this report, each of you stepped forward when the country
called. You heard the call others
could not.
We are the lucky ones, we are
here. We must never forget the
cost of freedom, dearly paid by those who have gone before us.
I thank each of you for stepping
forward and I am grateful you are all here with me to remember.
Bishop’s Letter for Memorial Day Observance
27 May 2013, Anno
Domini (in the 237th year of our Declaration of Independence)
1 And
it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the
Lord spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Take you twelve men out of the people,
out of every tribe a man, 3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence
out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood
firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in
the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. 4 Then Joshua called
the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every
tribe a man: 5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the
Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone
upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of
Israel: 6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask
their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before
the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan
were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of
Israel for ever. (Josh
4:1-7)
Last Spring, I had the honor and privilege to visit the World War II
Memorial overlooking the placid Sound of Guadacanal in the Solomon Islands.
The day was one of lush Spring life and pristine skies. But Guadacanal
was not always such a peaceful place. It was once a place of where the thunder
of heavy Naval and air bombardments occurred in the Fall of 1942 and
continued to early winter of 1943. Huge, lumbering battleships, loaded with the
ordnance of war, fought desperately one of the greatest Naval engagements in
our history. Beneath the now-peaceful waters of Guadacanal Sound lie, in watery
graves, scores of both American and Japanese battleships – so many that the
locals refer to Guadacanal as “Iron Bottom Sound.” U.S. Marine and Army ground
forces fought costly battles in taking Henderson Airfield from the Japanese. It
is a bit disappointing to observe how poorly maintained are the memorials and
graves of the American and Allied Forces on Guadacanal compared to the smart
Japanese memorial only a few hundred yards away.
What great and compelling purpose brought young American and Allied
soldiers, airmen, and sailors to this distant island in the Pacific. The
bedrock of their cause was freedom and liberty. It would have been
incomprehensible to suffer the enemy’s assault on American soil without
immediate and overwhelming reprisal. The American man-at-arms has always been
devoted to the preservation and defense of freedom everywhere his boot touches
the soil.
Considering the stone statues, brass grave markers and white crosses at
the Memorial at Guadacanal, my mind wandered to the heights of Arlington, of
Flanders, of Colleville-sur-Mer (Omaha Beach), Aisne-Marne (France), the
Ardennes & Henri-Chapel (Belgium), of Gettysburg, Golden Gate, and more
than one hundred and forty other National Military Cemetaries in the
continental United States; one is prompted to wonder “What mean ye by
these stones?” What heroic and gallant souls are represented by these
markers. These are mostly men of youth who were just coming into their manhood.
They rallied to the colors of a grateful nation under attack from powers that
knew nothing of freedom and liberty – only merciless power and oppression.
Almost to a soul, these were men who worshipped our God in the beauty of
holiness. Such were the men and women who defined what America was - all the
way to their cross-marked graves on national and foreign fields. These men are
the noble and upright ghosts of America Past. How did we ever produce men of
such valor and courage? How will we ever deserve the liberty and security that
their sacrifice purchased for us?
It is clearly a biblical imperative that we remember the heroes of our
nation, and pay due honor and respect to such heroes. And how shall we do that?
By emulating their characters and loving the principles of God and Country
which they so handsomely represented.
As we have collectively forgotten the price of freedom, the shadows of
fear and oppression have appeared on the far shores of the Beautiful Land for
which these men bled and died. Shall we allow that specter to grow? Or shall we
turn again to the God of our Fathers and seek His face in repentance and
prayer? Shall the flag of our nation be found, in future years, covered
in the sands and dust of time – not proudly waving, but discarded as a
worthless rag? Remember the courageous words of Patrick Henry: Mr.
President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt
to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren,
till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a
great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of
those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so
nearly concern their temporal salvation? And he closed his
comments thusly: The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to
the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we
were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest.
There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their
clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable -- and let
it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come!
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter.
Gentlemen may cry, "Peace! Peace!" -- but there is no peace. The war
is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our
ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why
stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is
life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and
slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but
as for me, give me liberty, or give me death! (Patrick Henry - March 23, 1775)
Make no mistake, fellow
Christians and Americans, we are engaged in a war today just as threatening to
our freedoms as that war of sword and cannon of 1776. The ammunition employed
by the enemy is lies, propaganda, and youthful indoctrination. But in the
arsenal of the Christian patriot are the shore batteries and impenetrable
ramparts of truth – and the Author of all Truth.
Let us remember with reverence, this Memorial Day, those heroic young souls who
purchased our liberty at such great cost. But let us also resolve, this day, to
be just as ardent in the maintenance of that Liberty as these gallant men were
in their unqualified defense of it.
From
Rev Geordie in the UK for Memorial Day via Bishop Jerry
Thank you, Rev Geordie. We in
America mourn the death (by brutal animals of the Islamic persuasion) of a
British patriot - Lee Rigby. We can know that in a corner of Heaven there is a
part that shall ever remain British.
We
forgive you for the War of Independence!
We are
sorry for being such poor tourists in 1812!
We are
glad you were over there 6 April 1917
We are
glad you supported us in WW2.
We
have been comrades in arms in Korea and Iraq
And we
stand together for freedom and democracy in Afghanistan
God
bless America and it's heroes past, present and to come.
From
Geordie+
On
Point
Someone asked, where do the quotes come
from? The answer is from the
people who uttered them. But, how
did you find them? Oh, that. Some from Bishop Jerry, others from Rev
Bryan Dabney, a few from other places, but mostly from Bryan. He always has a few great ones to
share. So, on to the On Point
quotes –
All that God has said is plain. The pagan deities delivered their
oracles out of dens and caverns, with a low and hollow voice, and in ambiguous
expressions... but God delivered his law from the top of mount Sinai, distinct,
audible, and intelligible.
Rev.
Matthew Henry
17th and 18th century
English pastor and author
To tell us, as some do... that the early churches were a model of
perfection and purity is absurd. Even in apostolic days, it appears there were
abundant errors both in doctrine and practice. To us... that clergymen ought
never to handle controversial subjects and never to warn their people against
erroneous views is senseless and unreasonable... Surely the dumb dog, and the
sleeping shepherd are the best allies of the wolf, the thief, and the robber...
Does anyone ask me, What is the best safeguard against false doctrine? I
answer... The Bible... regularly read... prayed over... studied.
Rev
JC Ryle
19th century Anglican bishop and
author
(Knots Untied, pp.366-367)
All things are safe in Jehovah’s hands; what we entrust to the Lord
will be secure, both now and in that day of days towards which we are
hastening.
Rev.
Charles H. Spurgeon
19th century English pastor and
author
(Morning and Evening, p. 481)
All Israel’s woe may be traced to her defection from Jehovah and her
complicity in pagan practices.
Dr.
Merrill F. Unger
20th century American theologian and scholar
(Biblical Demonology, p. 108).
Those nations whose faith and institutions are centered on God shall
never suffer the ravages of war and desolation. How shall our own nation fare
as we cast aside, day by day, every vestige of that abiding faith that made us
a most cherished nation among the nations of the earth? If America can be
saved, that salvation shall not occur through political measures. It is the
common heart of America that must be turned back to her God and Benefactor. If
America can now be retrieved from sure ruin, it must happen one heart at a
time.
Jerry
L. Ogles
20th and 21st century
Anglican Orthodox Presiding Bishop.
The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as
sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public
justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.
John
Adams
Founding Father and Second President of the
United States.
Propers
Each Sunday there are Propers:
special prayers and readings from the Bible. There is a Collect for the Day; that is a single thought prayer,
most written either before the re-founding of the Church of England in the
1540s or written by Bishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop of Canterbury
after the re-founding.
The Collect for the Day is to be
read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday. The
Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various Epistles, or letters, in
the New Testament. The Gospel is a
reading from one of the Holy Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Collect is said by the minister as
a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated reader (as we do in
our church) or by one of the ministers and the Holy Gospel, which during the church
service is read by an ordained minister.
The propers are the same each
year, except if a Red Letter Feast, that is one with propers in the prayerbook,
falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read instead, except in a White
Season, where it is put off. Red
Letter Feasts, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks the titles are in red,
are special days. Most of the Red
Letter Feasts are dedicated to early saints instrumental in the development of
the church, others to special events.
Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day is to be
used for an octave (eight days) or an entire season, like Advent or Lent.
The Propers for today are found
on Page 186-188, with the Collect first:
Trinity
Sunday.
The
Collect.
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LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal
Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We
beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore
defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without
end. Amen.
Dru Arnold read
this morning’s Epistle, which was written in the Fourth Chapter of the
Revelation of Saint John the Divine beginning at the First Verse. John attempts to show us the majesty
and glory of heaven using words.
The picture he paints is intended to be awe inspiring and seems to meet
that goal handily:
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FTER this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in
heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking
with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be
hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set
in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a
jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in
sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty
seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in
white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the
throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven
lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the
midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures
full of eyes before and behind. And the first was like a lion, and the second
like a calf, and the third had a face as a man, and the fourth was like a
flying eagle. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings about
him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night,
saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
And when those living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to him that
sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders
fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for
ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created
all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created.
Hap
Arnold read today’s Gospel which came from the Third Chapter of the
Gospel according to Saint John beginning at the First Verse:
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T
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HERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi,
we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is
old? Can he enter the second time
into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born
again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that
is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things
be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest
not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know,
and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told
you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of
heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down
from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Sermon –
Reverend Deacon Jack Arnold - Time and Action
Today’s sermon was on the basic concept of the Triune
God, that is the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and how they were introduced to us
through time and the Bible in particular. Today’s sermon brought the Collect,
Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords
above.
Consider these words from the
Collect:
… acknowledge
the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to
worship the Unity …
In the Collect, we acknowledge
that there is a Triune God, that is three aspects of God; God the Father, God
the Son and God the Holy Ghost. A
Triune God, that is Three in One, not three separate Gods or godlets, but a
single being with three aspects.
How does this work?
The honest answer is – WE DON’T
KNOW. We just have been told there
are three and They are ONE. We
know how parts of the thing work, but not all. Like secrets, we don’t really have a need to know, so we
have not been told. We know that
God the Father sent The Son to be our Savior. We know that the Holy Ghost breathed life into the world,
and brings comfort and understanding.
We know that God is I AM.
We know They all have always been and always will be. A lot we don’t know, but we can
certainly be kept busy with what we do know. That must be enough for the here and now. We must be content
with what we read in the Gospel, all the other stuff we wonder about Him is
just extraneous details, like how many angels are dancing on the head of a pin!
We must put aside the thoughts of what God is, and just understand that He is I
AM, and that there is God, there is the Son, and there is the Holy Ghost and
they all work together in their own way to be the one God of our faith. There
is a reason for this even though we don’t know it, but it works out, so we do
not have to wonder how it works, we just continue believing and acting!
But, what of later? If we have eternal life, we have it now
and later. What comes later? Heaven. What is heaven?
John attempts to tell us.
He attempts to show us the majesty and glory of heaven using words. The picture he paints is intended to be
awe inspiring and seems to meet that goal handily. The main thing we can be certain of is that we will not be
disappointed. We speculate as to
will this or that be in heaven?
When we get there the answer will manifest itself and you will have no
regrets. In heaven there is no
disappointment. Heaven is the real
world, where things are bright, not dull and dark as though looking through a
glass. Rest assured, we will see for ourselves what it is like one day, all we
need to know is that it is a really wonderful place that we should be aiming to
go to when we die, through our belief and actions here on earth working
together!
So, how do we get to the real
world from these Shadowlands?
There is but one way, the Einbahnstraße.
Jesus Christ the righteous; and
he is the Propitiation for our sins.[5]
Do not be fooled by “fair”,
there is only one way into heaven.
That door is at the end of a long and narrow trail, steeply inclined
upward with many seemingly beautiful and interesting branches leading downward
into the pit. Doing good is good,
so to speak, doing good without God is not good enough. Only being accounted perfect will get
you up the path and in the door.
We need help! Lots of help. The first thing we need in our hearts is a new heart, a new
and contrite heart. That is really
hard, in fact, it is so hard it cannot be done by ourselves. We need something. A new start.
We must be born of the spirit! What spirit?
The Holy Ghost. We must accept that we in and of
ourselves will never be perfect.
No one gets in to heaven unless they are accounted as perfect. We will never be perfect in and of
ourselves. Should we quit
trying? Not, we are commanded to
follow our Christ. Will we
fail? Without question. What is the solution? To believe and follow the Christ. To open our hearts to the Holy Ghost
that we might believe in full and accept the help from the Christ that our
imperfection needs to be His followers.
To follow God, we need Christ
as our leader and the Holy Ghost as our compass. In short, we need all members
of the Trinity’s influence in our lives if we are to arrive in the real world,
that of Heaven.
There is but one way to heaven.
That easy to find, easy to
follow, easy to hike path does not lead to the summit where eternal life in the
real world awaits. Open your heart
to the Holy Ghost, use His Power to follow our Lord to God who awaits in
heaven.
Heaven is at the end of an
uphill trail. The easy downhill
trail does not lead to the summit.
The time is now, not tomorrow. The time has come, indeed. How will you ACT?
It is by our actions we are known.
Be of God - Live of God - Act of God
Bishop Ogles’
Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get
copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.
Today is one of those Sundays.
Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will
give you a lot to consider in your heart.
Sermon Notes
Trinity
Sunday
26 May 2013, Anno
Domini
Trinity
Sunday.
The
Collect.
|
A
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LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal
Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We
beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore
defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without
end. Amen.
|
T
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HERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi,
we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a
man be born when he is old? Can he
enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where
it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered
and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and
knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do
know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have
told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell
you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came
down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted
up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
(John 3:1-15)
Who was Nicodemus?
There are many
facets of the answer to that question. First of all, Nicodemus was a man of
wealth. He was, too, a member of
the powerful ruling Sanhedrin. He was a curious man who came to satisfy that
curiosity under cover of darkness. These are some of the things that Nicodemus WAS. That which Nicodemus WAS before his encounter with
Christ, and that which he BECAME
afterward are poles apart. It may not be stretching reality to say that
Nicodemus WAS precisely what
you and I WERE; and what
Nicodemus BECAME is precisely
what you and I ARE in our
Lord Jesus Christ.
The Word of God is
a great mirror exposing our rags of filth (sin & poverty) and the great
mercy and grace which has lifted us up before God adorned in the White Robe of
Righteousness provided by Christ. We must recognize that the politically
conscious Nicodemus was the same person as you and me before we came out of our
darkness and into His Light. We all have approached Christ from the dark nights
of our souls. The Creation of God began in darkness way back in the beginning
of Genesis, but ended in brilliant light. The same holds true for our spiritual
rebirth (creation).
Nicodemus was
obviously a man proud of his station, but he also had a tender place in his
heart for truth and justice. He yearned to know truth. He was a seeker of
truth, and a seeker of God. This characteristic his timidity in coming to
Christ. A wealthy and powerful Pharisee would deign to approach a humble
carpenter of Galilee for enlightenment - and Nicodemus came at night for that
Light. He surely discovered that Light in Christ. Some men of lesser metal and
courage may have slipped away that night unchanged by the Brilliant Light that
emanated from Christ, but not the good man, Nicodemus. Nicodemus was unlike the
rich young ruler of Matthew 19 and Luke 18 who, having heard the cost of the
cross, left sorrowful because he placed riches above the salvation of God.
Nicodemus was fundamentally changed by Christ. In making us into His new
Creation, Christ performs the miracle of the spiritual Creation in a manner not
unlike His genius employed in the physical Creation. By observing the beauty of
a sunrise or sunset, we witness
the miracle of transformation: One looks
at the sunset glories of the sky, the clouds shining in many radiant colors as
if a thousand rainbows had been scattered in fragments along the horizon; and
it seems as if there were the very gate of heaven; he looks at the snowflakes
so pure, so beautiful, and he asks, Whence came these? They came from the salt
waters of the sea: they came from muddy reptile-haunted marsh and fen; they
came from road –side pools. They were raised to the sky by the sun, and are now
glorified by his rays.(Rev. F.N. Peloubet, D.D.)
Can you not see
yourself in the person of the night visitor, Nicodemus? Have you often held
your peace when a subject of vital spiritual importance is raised - preferring
to hide your faith from a scowling crowd? Have you spoken our boldly, as
Stephen, in the face of threatening persecution? Or have you withered as a
dying flower before those who inquire if you were not one of those disciples of
Jesus as did Peter?
The rich young ruler
went away from Christ unchanged, but not the noble Nicodemus. He was changed
forever and never again came to Christ at night. He was forthwith open in his
defense of Christ and growing in his courage.
Nicodemus is
mentioned at three places in the Gospel of St John. The first mention is in the
present text for today. The second appears in John 7:45-51 - 45 Then
came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them,
Why have ye not brought him? 46 The officers answered, Never man spake
like this man. 47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49 But
this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. 50 Nicodemus saith unto
them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law
judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 52 They
answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out
of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 53 And every man went unto his own house.
(John 7:45-53) The Pharisees had been foiled in their plot to catch Christ in
His own Words. Instead, their emissaries had been solidly stumped by the divine
wisdom of our Lord. As they sought a means to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus had the
temerity to speak out in defense of the Lord and was publicly rebuked.
It is noteworthy
that each time the name of Nicodemus is mentioned after this first night-time
rendezvous, the following stipulation is made: (he that came to Jesus by
night, being one of them,) This stipulation is made to contrast the
behavior of Nicodemus in being an open advocate for Christ when he was a
night-stalker in the present text. We are all changed once we come face-to-face
with Christ! The last reference to Nicodemus has him coming openly, in the face
of the Jewish rulers, to claim the body of Christ along with Joseph of
Arimathaea. Please observe the courage required and the lack of any hesitancy
whatsoever on the part of Nicodemus: 38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea,
being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate
that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came
therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 39 And there came also Nicodemus, which
at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and
aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus,
and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to
bury. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and
in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There
laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the
sepulchre was nigh at hand. (John 19:38-42) Here again, we see the
qualification in the text - which at the first came to Jesus by night.
God is a great economist of Words. He never tells us anything needlessly. He
tells us repeatedly that Nicodemus is the one who stands publicly for God when
he at first came by night.
Are we a Nicodemus
type of Christian, or are we a Rich, Young Ruler type? Do we stand firm and
publicly on our convictions and testimony, or do we slink away at the threat of
lost revenue?
Tradition has it
that Nicodemus was martyred in the 1st century. That would have been only a few
years after the death and resurrection of Christ.
The man who came at
night (as we all do), never again sought Christ in any way other than publicly
and courageously. Have you done so, and do you ALWAYS do so?
Nicodemus was
treated to some of the most beautiful symbolism and metaphor of the Bible. He
was a man of learning and high intellect. Even though he could not understand
all that Christ told him at first, he pout those words of Christ in his heart
and meditated on these things. As a result, Nicodemus had a growing faith and
not a diminishing faith. The Holy Ghost, described to Nicodemus by Christ as
being like the Wind, soothed and comforted Nicodemus in his doubts and nurtured
and fertilized his understanding. Nicodemus never forgot that night-time
encountered, and neither should we.
The Word of God
possesses a mysterious and unseen power to change, fundamentally, our
characters and our hearts. The children of Israel could little understand the
efficacy of beholding the lifted up serpent in the Wilderness; but they heeded
the counsel of Moses and looked to that brazen serpent when bitten by the fiery
serpent - and lived. That brazen serpent of the wilderness was a meager type of
the Christ who, when men look to Him, they shall be healed of the most deadly
of diseases - sin! Will you heed the Words of Scripture today and look to
Christ for every need?
Rev
Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon
We are fortunate to
have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon. If you
want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, expouse the
truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I
commend it to your careful reading.
Trinity Sunday
Imagine that you were present when Nicodemus approached our Lord about
his teachings. He likely came to our Lord in secret that he might have his
undivided attention, free from the chorus of his fellow scribes and Pharisees
who were ever ready to criticize our Lord for one thing or another. Nicodemus
came with an earnest desire to understand those truths of God which our Lord
had openly expressed. He saw in Jesus of Nazareth something that he had not
seen in other would-be prophets. Consider the following comment, Rabbi, we know
that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that
thou doest, except God be with him (St. John 3:2).
Nicodemus no doubt possessed a personal expectation about what he would
hear from him though the gospel account does not tell us. Nevertheless, we can
be sure that whatever it was, our Lord’s response was not what this erudite man
had in mind. He was not prepared for his message: Ye must be born again.
Clearly Nicodemus did not understand that being born again was not a second
birth in the natural sense, but was spiritual in character. Our Lord said,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of
God.
St. Paul noted in his first epistle to the Corinthians (2:14), But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know they because they are spiritually
discerned. This goes hand in hand with God’s just sentence of Adam and Eve
because they had violated his command: but of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:17).
There are two types of death which have afflicted us as descendants of
our first parents, the one being the physical death of the body, and the other
being the spiritual death of our souls. In such a state, what can we do? The
answer is, We can do nothing of our own selves to mitigate or set aside this
fallen condition. Our only hope rests in our turning unto the Saviour who died
that we might have eternal life through his shed blood. And that is where the
preaching of the gospel comes in as the apostle Paul once noted, so then faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
Now it ought to be apparent to anyone with even a basic knowledge of
Scripture, that not every person will have the capacity to hear and receive the
gospel. Our Lord explained in the parable of the sower that there must be good
ground for his word to take root in, grow and finally bear fruit. It is that
last part which is crucial for if we do not bear fruit in our Lord’s service,
then we are wicked and slothful servants worthy only to be bound up like tares
and cast into the fire (St. Matthew 13:1-23). Still, in order for those to
hear, St. Paul observed, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not
believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how
shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be
sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things (Romans 10:14-16)!
Here we have a great mystery before us. For there is something in our
makeup that knows we need a Saviour, and it is that which prompts us to call
out to God for his salvation. Do we call out to God for salvation because the
Holy Ghost came beforehand to impress upon us our need for God’s saving grace?
Or, do we call out to God in response to his open invitation to receive his
free gift of grace in the name of his only begotten Son? Do we therefore come
to God of our own volition, or do we come because he has compelled us in some
manner? Are we invited to come to Christ, or, are we stiff-armed? These are important
questions and not so easily answered as one might think.
St. Paul reminded the Romans that, The wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth
in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;
for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse
(vv.18-20). There is no excuse that will cover the unregenerate in their denial
of the existence of God. Though the natural man cannot perceive the things of
the Spirit of God, he is nonetheless accountable to God for not seeing them
because they are plainly in front of him. Unregenerate man, as the apostle
noted, holds the truth in unrighteousness not in ignorance.
Christians should know that in all things regardless of circumstance,
God is sovereign in his calling and in our living. He is sovereign in our
affirmation of him, or in our negation of him. We should understand from
Scripture that God desires obedience and not sacrifice. He desires for all men
to repent and to believe (I St. Timothy 2:1-4), and to that end he has given us
the gift of faith which comes from the hearing of his word (Ephesians 2:8;
Romans 10:17). So in a manner of speaking, he has given to us the impetus to
seek after him per the hearing of the gospel though many do not follow through
for whatever reason. Many of the Jews in the time of our Lord’s earthly
ministry did not understand his message largely because they refused to believe
on him as the Messiah. Our Lord reminded them that, Ye will not come to me,
that ye might have life... I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me
not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive (St. John
5:40,43). As Matthew Henry once noted concerning the first passage, “Their
estrangement from Christ was the fault of their wills. The only reason why
sinners die [spiritually and eternally] is because they will not come to Christ
for life and happiness; it is not because they cannot, but because they will
not.”
Nicodemus did not understand what our Lord had said to him because his
training and studies had not focused on the principal reason for the Messiah’s
coming: to free humanity from the eternal effects of original sin. His training
did not take into account the dead spiritual nature of mankind. In such a
state, human beings possess no capacity to save themselves from the effects of
original sin. Unregenerated mortals cannot work their way back to God because
there is nothing they can offer God in exchange for their lives (Psalm 49:7-8).
While Nicodemus and his fellow scholars of Judaism were praying for the coming of
the Messiah, they were looking for an earthly deliverer: someone who would
drive the Romans out of Jerusalem and the land of Israel for good. What he and
the other scholars did not understand was that God’s plan of salvation is not
merely a temporal or transitory event. No, godly salvation is everlasting. It
is timeless in its operation, and is eternally transforming because it changes
the lost sinner into a new person (Ephesians 4:24). It makes of all who have
crucified the flesh in the name of Jesus Christ a citizen of the New Jerusalem.
And all who have accepted God’s free gift have had their names inscribed in
Lamb’s book of life. That is what God has in mind regarding our salvation. But
to obtain this gift, we must repent and turn unto to him in the name of his
only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. If we are sincere in our request, a just and
holy God will hear and grant us the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us into to
all truth. He will convince of our sins and show us the way to God via Christ
Jesus.
There are, however, those who would use Christianity as a mask. They
have not the Spirit of God, neither have they asked to receive it. They will
attend church and participate in various church-related activities, all the
while never understanding that they must be born again in the Spirit if they
are to be saved. Baptism by itself does not bring about salvation. Taking the
Holy Communion by itself does not produce salvation. A person is not saved by
making a public profession of faith apart from the workings of the Holy Spirit.
It is well-stated in Scripture that apart from a regenerated nature in Christ
Jesus by the power of the Holy Ghost, no flesh can be saved. That is why our
Lord said to Nicodemus, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God.
The Scriptures speak of God separating mankind out into two distinct
groups that are metaphorically explained in the parables of the wheat and tares
(St. Matthew 13:24-30), and the good fish and bad fish (St. Matthew 13:47-50).
Our Lord said, He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them
not, because ye are not of God (St. John 8:47). His meaning is clear: there are
those who will receive the Spirit of God and there are those who will not. That
which empowers those who have received the gift of faith also urges them to
seek after the things of God and to do his will in their lives. Likewise, the
inverse is true. St. Paul said (Romans 8: 5-17), For they that are after the
flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the
things of the Spirit . . . so then they that are in the flesh cannot please
God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none
of his. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit
is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you . . . the Spirit
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God . . .
Let us close with a passage from St. Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians
(2:5), Even when we were dead in sins, hath [he] quickened us together with Christ,
(by grace ye are saved). May God grant to you that quickening of your spirits
that you will seek to better know and love him through the atoning work of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Let us pray,
|
G
|
ood and gracious God, grant us the filling of
the Holy Ghost, that we being indwelt by the same would know the certainty of
our salvation; and that our lives would hereafter reflect thy gift of grace;
all of which we ask in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+
Solomon
Islands Update
The following letter is from
our Bishop Legumana of the Solomon Islands. He has planted a new church on the
outer Santa Cruz Island of the Solomon chain:
Dear Bishop Jerry and Betty,
A report on
the successful Ordination of Rev Wilson Menoia to the Order of Priesthood in
AOC 19 May 2013, at Bimbir Village Santa Cruz
Our mission to ordain Rev
Wilson Menoia to the Order of Priests in our church (AOC) at Bimbir Village
Santa Cruz, was very successful despite some disturbances by some leaders and
members of COM of the same village.
We have to build a tent
Church House outside Bimbir for the Ordination. They are planning to build
their church house on the same spot and on the same land.
They will then move to build
their houses around their church as a new village which is to be wholly an AOC
village. This is to be free from continuous disturbances in the future life and
activities of the church.
On Pentecost Sunday 19th May
2013 we have ordained Rev Wilson Menoia to the Priesthood as well as 3 children
received confirmation
Then my wife and her
secretary Lilian Vahia also had meetings with the women and selected her office
bearers as well as admitted 8 women as new members of the AOC Women Fellowship
group of the Church.
Attendance during the
Ordination of Rev Wilson was quite a large congregation in comparison to some
of our AOC villages in Isabel. Communicants (those receiving communion) was
more than one hundred; not counting the children.
My assessment of this AOC
Community at Santa Cruz will spread quite quickly in the years to come. I hope
for a bigger church or a Diocese for that matter from Santa Cruz in the future.
Rev Wilson Menoia and his wife are very capable to make this happen.
Finally and above all, on
behalf of myself, my wife Serah, Lilian Vahia and Rev Richard Sopamana as a
group who went to this mission wishes to thank you and Betty, Standing
Committee and those who supported this mission financially have indeed made
this very successful.
Indeed Santa Cruz can be more
tough and challenging than just going down to Isabel by sea.
We returned safely from Santa
Cruz on Tuesday (21/05/13) afternoon and at this point in time iam working on
the photos and other reports for your further informations.
May the Lord bless us all in
our common endeavors for His Church.
To Him be the Glory for ever and ever.
AOC
Friday Quote Digest
Themes: : Quotes Of Interest
----Ministry Minute. Commentary on Sunday's Gospel-
Quotes Of Interest
------------------------------------------
Four things support the world,
1. The
learning of the wise,
2. The
justice of the great,
3. The
prayers of the good
4. The
valor of the brave.
Anon
-----------------------------------------
Benjamin Harrison
I have never quite been able to
feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather
felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we
commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it.
Woodrow Wilson, 1914
On this Memorial Day, it is
right for us to remember the living and the dead for whom the call of their
country has meant much pain and sacrifice.
George Bush, 2005
Looking across this field, we
see the scale of heroism and sacrifice. All who are buried here understood
their duty. All stood to protect America. And all carried with them memories of
a family that they hoped to keep safe by their sacrifice.
Woodrow Wilson, 1914
Therefore this peculiar thing
comes about, that we can stand here and praise the memory of these soldiers in
the interest of peace. They set us the example of self-sacrifice, which if
followed in peace will make it unnecessary that men should follow war any more.
George Bush, 1992
Whether we observe the occasion
through public ceremony or through private prayer, Memorial Day leaves few
hearts unmoved. Each of the patriots whom we remember on this day was first a
beloved son or daughter, a brother or sister, or a spouse, friend, and
neighbor.
Richard Nixon, 1974
This Memorial Day should remind
us of the greatness that past generations of Americans achieved from Valley
Forge to Vietnam, and it should inspire us with the determination to keep
America great and free by keeping America safe and strong in our own time, a
time of unique destiny and opportunity for our Nation.
Woodrow Wilson, 1914
They, and we, are the legacies
of an unbroken chain of proud men and women who served their country with
honor, who waged war so that we might know peace, who braved hardship so that
we might know opportunity, who paid the ultimate price so that we might know
freedom.
Herbert Hoover, 1931
It was the transcendent fortitude and steadfastness of these men
who in adversity and in suffering through the darkest hour of our history held
faithful to an ideal. Here men endured that a nation might live.
Herbert Hoover, 1931
An ideal is an unselfish
aspiration. Its purpose is the general welfare not only of this but of future
generations. It is a thing of the spirit. It is a generous and humane desire
that all men may share equally in a common good. Our ideals are the cement,
which binds human society.
-----------------------------------------------
The doctrine of the Trinity is
basic to the Christian religion. It is no exaggeration to assert that the whole
of Christianity stands or falls with it.
R. B. Kuiper
The doctrine of the Trinity is
the differentiating doctrine of the Christian faith.
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"Cold prayers always freeze
before they reach heaven."
Thomas Brooks
----------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Sunday's Reading
John 3:1-15
1 There was a man of the
Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Ver. 1. A ruler of the Jews] Either a chieftain of the Pharisees, as he
was, Luk 14:1; or one of the Sanhedrim, one of the 70 seniors, whose learning
hung in their light, 1Co 2:8. Yet was neither learned Nathanael, nor Nicodemus,
a master of Israel, excluded from Christ’s discipline (saith Joan. De
Turrecremata), lest if he had admitted simple men only, it might have been
thought they were deceived through their simplicity.
{a} Ne is solos simplices vocasset, credi possit quod fuissent ex
simplicitate decepti.
2 The same came to Jesus by
night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God:
for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Ver. 2. We know] But will not know. Hence they became sinners against the
Holy Ghost, Mat 12:23, &c. The devil that commits this sin every day, is
full of objective knowledge, and thence hath his name. {a}
No man can do these miracles] Those magicians of Egypt, Jannes and
Jambres, did but cast a mist, and beguile the sight of Pharaoh and his
followers. How Tyndale hindered the magician of Antwerp, that he could not do
his feats, see Acts and Monuments, fol. 985.
3 Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God.
Ver. 3. Except a man be born again] E supernis, Out of heaven, Erasm.
Except a man be first unmade (as St Peter expounds our Saviour) and newly made
up again, .. 1Pe 2:24; except the whole frame of the old conversation be
dissolved, and a better erected, there is no heaven to be had. Heaven is too
hot to hold unregenerate persons; no such dirty dog ever trampled on that
golden pavement, it is an undefiled inheritance, 2Pe 1:3.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How
can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his
mother’s womb, and be born?
Ver. 4. How can a man, &c.] He understands no more of the doctrine of
regeneration (though he could not but have often read of it in Ezekiel, and
elsewhere) than a common cow herd doth the darkest precepts of astronomy, 1Co
2:14. All this is gibberish to him. Water ariseth no higher than the spring
whence it came; so the natural man can ascend no higher than nature.
5 Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Ver. 5. Be born of water, and the Holy Ghost] That is, of the Holy Ghost
working like water, cooling, cleansing, &c. In allusion, belike, to that
first washing of a newly born babe from his blood, Eze 16:4. Or else to those
Levitical washings, and not without some reference to Nicodemus and his fellow
Pharisees, who placed a great part of their piety in external washings, as do
also the Mahometans at this day. Every time they ease nature (saith one that
had been among them) they wash those parts, little regarding who stands by. If
a dog chance to touch their hands, they wash presently; before prayer they wash
both face and hands, sometimes the head and privates, &c.
6 That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Ver. 6. That which is born of the flesh, &c.] Whole man is in evil,
and whole evil in man. Quintilian saw not this, and therefore said, that it is
more marvel that one man sinneth than that all men should live honestly; sin is
so much against man’s nature. Many also of the most dangerous opinions of
Popery (as justification by works, state of perfection, merit, supererogation,
&c.) spring from hence; that they have slight conceits of concupiscence, as
a condition of nature. Yet some of them (as Michael Bains, professor at Lovain,
&c.) are sound in this point.
7 Marvel not that I said unto
thee, Ye must be born again.
Ver. 7. Marvel not, &c.] viz. Through unbelief, for otherwise it is a
just wonder, far beyond that of a natural birth, which, but that it is so ordinary,
would surely seem a miracle; Miracula assiduitate vilescunt.
8 The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Ver. 8. The wind bloweth, &c.] Libero et vago impetu. Watch,
therefore, the gales of grace; we cannot purchase this wind (as sailors in
Norway are said to do) for any money. This hawk, when flown, will not easily be
brought to hand again.
15 That whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Ver. 15. That whosoever believeth] Faith is the soul’s hand ( fidei
mendica manus, saith Luther); foot, whereby we come to Christ; mouth ( hic
credere est edere, saith Austin); wing, whereby we soar up and fetch Christ
into the heart, Joh 6:35-36.
John Trapp's Complete
Commentary in 5 Vols. Selected by Rev.GMG
[1]
Courtesy of the Rev.
Munachi Ezeogu
[2]
The Gospel of John
identifies the Logos, through which all things are made, as divine (theos), and
further identifies Jesus as the incarnation of the Logos. As the Logos, Jesus
Christ is God in self-revelation (Light) and redemption (Life). He is God to
the extent that he can be present to man and knowable to man. The Logos is
God,[Jn 1:1] ... Yet the Logos is in some sense distinguishable from God, for
"the Logos was with God."[Jn 1:1] God and the Logos are not two
beings, and yet they are also not simply identical. ... The Logos is God active
in creation, revelation, and redemption. – Frank Stagg
[3]
Did you ever wonder
what difference the translation makes?
Consider while "the Word was God" is by far the most common
English translation, non-Trinitarian groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses (in
the New World Translation and their
edition of the Emphatic Diaglott and
Unitarians (in Thomas Belsham's modification of William Newcome's version)
translate "the Word was a god."
[4]
From the Book of Common Prayer page 42
[5]
1 St. John ii. 1, 2
and Book of Common Prayer, page 76
